Private schools

Is it right that in a meritocratic society the top schools are fee paying schools.

The European Union believes in the freedom of movement across countries but what is it doing for social mobility?

Surely private schools are the opposite of meritocracy because someone can go to a top school purely based on their parents earnings (or old family money) and be at an instant advantage to the rest of the population. In the UK its no coincidence that in the current cabinet there are more men who went to Eton than there are women, anyone from an ethnic minority or people from working class backgrounds.

Who else believes private schools/fee paying schools should be abolished?

Unfortunately here in the UK our top universities are mostly filled with privately educated students from the UK, the second largest demographic is then foreign students who were privately educated in their home countries and the smallest demographic is actually students who went to regulsr schools.

Students who achieved the 4 A's quota to get into the top universities are more likely to be turned down if they were educated in state school too.

Also our politicians and most of the unelected technocrats in Brussels were all privately educated and that's why nobody in the political class will abolish fee paying schools.

Unfortunately across all of Europe we are now getting fringe parties growing in popularity who are anti establishment because of issues like this. They are gaining huge amounts of support and votes across the continent and i see violence, riots and uprisings if the political elite don't act soon to stop them and abolishing private schools would be the perfect solution.

How can that be true when there are people in state schools who get 4 A's who don't get into the top universities and then a student from private school will get into the same schools with 2 A's and a B?

State education is great here. The problem is its the same old families going to private schools who also make 'donations' to the universities and then surprise surprise their silver spoon richlings get into the top universities and end up running the country either in politics, banking or media.

If someone can afford it, I do not want to tell them they cannot send their child to a private school, but I am also opposed to a voucher system set up where if the state provides $6,000 per student to public schools, a parent can take that $6,000 to a private school. Some parents say it is their money so they should be able to do want they want with it, but is not just their money. Those of us who have not had children and those who children are grown and out of school are still paying taxes into the school system and so that is also our money. If you don't like the public school system, find a way to pay for your child to go to a private school, but I do not want the money I pay in school taxes going to a Christian school, a Jewish school, a Muslim school. Not having a child, I do not get to decide what school receives the tax money I pay into the system, nor do I get to opt of paying into the public school system and so neither should you.

In Australia most (not all) of the better high schools are private, but once you reach university the public schools are by far the best. You still have to pay to attend, but you can get a government interest free HECS loan that just comes out of your income when earn over a certain amount.

It seems the private universities here are mostly filled with internationals or locals who didn't get good enough entrance scores for a public university, so mummy and daddy are footing the bill.

Here in the US universities pride themselves on diversity. Both racial diversity as well as income diversity (even geographic diversity).... US universities for the most part want a diverse student body.....it would look weird if they didn't..

Why in the UK can the same old families or people go to this Eaton School and then be passed through and gain entrance into the prestigious universities? Isn't that a bit.....discriminatory?

In the UK we have the same u iversity system but the top.2 universities are filled almost exclusively with private educated students. The universities are open to all but do accept donations and then end up taking the kids of the families who make the donations on top of the university fees.

Import saidHere in the US universities pride themselves on diversity. Both racial diversity as well as income diversity (even geographic diversity).... US universities for the most part want a diverse student body.....it would look weird if they didn't..

Why in the UK can the same old families or people go to this Eaton School and then be passed through and gain entrance into the prestigious universities? Isn't that a bit.....discriminatory?

cant u guys sue? We love doing that here.

I thought university was grossly expensive in the US? People without partial or full scholarships can still attend university with a low income? How does it work?

Danny_boy93 saidIn the UK we have the same u iversity system but the top.2 universities are filled almost exclusively with private educated students. The universities are open to all but do accept donations and then end up taking the kids of the families who make the donations on top of the university fees.

I don't believe you can "buy" yourself a spot in a public university here. If you can, it would involve some level of corruption in university officials.

Import saidHere in the US universities pride themselves on diversity. Both racial diversity as well as income diversity (even geographic diversity).... US universities for the most part want a diverse student body.....it would look weird if they didn't..

Why in the UK can the same old families or people go to this Eaton School and then be passed through and gain entrance into the prestigious universities? Isn't that a bit.....discriminatory?

cant u guys sue? We love doing that here.

Year on year politicians say it is a big problem but it gets worse every year and it's often the children of politicians who get into the top universities straight from private school. We can't sue especially since the government has cut legal aid for the poor.

The only outlet people have is to vote for anti establishment parties who are hugely incompetent and will bring the country to its knees. This is happening in many countries across Europe too. I'm voting a party in the European elections and then the general election who I despise in almost every regard just because I believe they will bring the establishment to its knees within the next 20 years. The problem with this is I think it will end in violence similar to the riots we experienced a couple of years ago but people are so fed up they are prepared to take that risk.

Import saidHere in the US universities pride themselves on diversity. Both racial diversity as well as income diversity (even geographic diversity).... US universities for the most part want a diverse student body.....it would look weird if they didn't..

Why in the UK can the same old families or people go to this Eaton School and then be passed through and gain entrance into the prestigious universities? Isn't that a bit.....discriminatory?

cant u guys sue? We love doing that here.

I thought university was grossly expensive in the US? People without partial or full scholarships can still attend university with a low income? How does it work?

Low-income students can in most cases have access to public universities through scholarships and government grants. A student fills out a form... and that form will determine if the student is considered "low-income"....if the student is considered low-income then a student will get a federal grant that will largely cover the cost of attending a public college or university. It may not cover everything, but it could cover the actual cost of the classes..

A lot of states in the US have different scholarships set-up for students who meet an academic standard that will pay for their public university or be applied to the tuition of a private one..California has "Cal grant" Florida has "bright futures" and pre-paid, etc etc...)

I cant type about it anymore, but yes and no. Some low-income students have access, some dont simply because they didn't do well enough in high school or gain entrance into one. Some just dont go, but that is not determined by income alone obviously.

If you are NOT low-income then yes, it's expensive. U get no federal grant money.... u could possibly get a scholarship if you're smart enough, but that still may not cover it.... And on and on, I could write a manual about it

Most students just get loans to pay for it and come out of college with tons of debt. Setting them up for a difficult start.... could owe up to a $100k? like wtf?

Import saidHere in the US universities pride themselves on diversity. Both racial diversity as well as income diversity (even geographic diversity).... US universities for the most part want a diverse student body.....it would look weird if they didn't..

Why in the UK can the same old families or people go to this Eaton School and then be passed through and gain entrance into the prestigious universities? Isn't that a bit.....discriminatory?

cant u guys sue? We love doing that here.

I thought university was grossly expensive in the US? People without partial or full scholarships can still attend university with a low income? How does it work?

Low-income students can in most cases have access to public universities through scholarships and government grants. A student fills out a form... and that form will determine if the student is considered "low-income"....if the student is considered low-income then a student will get a federal grant that will largely cover the cost of attending a public college or university. It may not cover everything, but it could cover the actual cost of the classes..

A lot of states in the US have different scholarships set-up for students who meet an academic standard that will pay for their public university or be applied to the tuition of a private one..California has "Cal grant" Florida has "bright futures" and pre-paid, etc etc...)

I cant type about it anymore, but yes and no. Some low-income students have access, some dont simply because they didn't do well enough in high school or gain entrance into one. Some just dont go, but that is not determined by income alone obviously.

If you are NOT low-income then yes, it's expensive. U get no federal grant money.... u could possibly get a scholarship if you're smart enough, but that still may not cover it.... And on and on, I could write a manual about it

Most students just get loans to pay for it and come out of college with tons of debt. Setting them up for a difficult start.... could owe up to a $100k? like wtf?

Okay. Doesn't seem as bad as I thought it was. Everyone here qualifies for government interest free loan regardless of income.

Would be a horrible shame if your parents earn enough that you didn't qualify and they refused to pay for your tuition. I guess those are the ones that get the massive debt?